Night Escapade
by virtualfindingsdocumented
Summary: Only one person could be at Theodora's window 3 am with such an absurd plan.


Fictober 2019 Day 1

"It will be fun, trust me."

* * *

Theodora woke with a gentle tapping on her window. She groaned a bit. The tapping continued. She opened her eyes and looked at the window. In the poor lighting, all she could see was a silhouette. A woman, not very tall, short hair.

Theodora sighed. There was only one person who fit that description and would be at her window - she checked the clock - 3 am.

Edith Snicket.

Reluctantly, she stood up and let her friend in.

"Hey," Snicket said, as if she had arrived for an afternoon tea. "You're not busy, right?"

If she was more awake, Theodora would have a sarcastic answer to that. But it still wouldn't prevent Snicket from sharing whatever absurd idea she had this time. So she simply made an incoherent sound, accepting her fate.

"Great!" Snicket said. "We can get there before the morning shift starts and find out what A. is planning and then I. will have to suck it. Granted, he will not approve of our methods, but we will have all the evidence and he will have to accept it!"

"Slow down, please," Theodora said, her own voice slow.

Snicket took a deep breath.

"I. said he knows A. is plotting something, right?"

"Yes?"

"But he has no evidence of it."

Theodora had a faint memory of it being discussed in the latest meeting.

"There must be something in A.'s office, right? So we break in there and find it."

"That's illegal!"

"What A. is doing is illegal!" Snicket protested. "This is for the greatest good."

Theodora recalled something her partner had said about everyone being innocent until proven otherwise, but she wouldn't be able to repeat it so eloquently as her, and plus, arguing with Snicket was useless most times.

"I will get my pants. Try not to mess with my stuff again."

Snicket gave a smile as fake as the eyelashes she wore at last ball.

"When did I ever do that?"

As if Theodora didn't know her and how she touched everything she could reach.

* * *

Theodora had to confess at least to herself that when Snicket appeared at her window she could barely remember who A. was, much less where his office was.

If she remembered, she would have fought harder.

"I can't do this." She simply said.

"The climbing equipment takes two people to operate," Snicket said. "I can't go alone."

Theodora looked at the tall building. How tall was it? How far from the ground would they have to be?

"I can't."

Snicket gave her a strange look.

"Are you afraid of heights?"

"I just prefer my feet on the ground, thank you very much."

Snicket's expression softened.

"It's just like PE. I won't let you fall." She took a few steps towards her friend and with delicate but firm hands helped her into the belts and ropes.

"I hate you, Snicket," Theodora said half-heartedly.

"I know." Snicket smiled. "We will talk, you won't even notice we are climbing."

They started going up.

"I heard your brother is coming to town," Snicket said.

"Yeah."

"You don't sound happy about it. Are you fighting?"

Theodora hesitated.

"Not really. He just sounds too much like father lately."

Snicket frowned. "Your father just wants the best for you."

Theodora sighed. "So he says. Can we talk about something else."

"I want the best for you too, Theodora."

Irritated, Theodora stopped. She opened her mouth to say she was not doing this anymore when Snicket went a bit ahead and upper than her, letting her see a suspicious volume in the other woman's pocket.

"You messed with my things again!"

"I didn't!" Snicket lied.

Theodora reached for her pocket and got from there a crumpled letter.

"This is mine! Is this why you woke me up at this hour?"

"No, it's not!" Snicket said in a desperate tone.

"I'm done with this," Theodora said, ready to go back to her warm bed.

But as she took her first glance down she realized how tall they were. She felt a little dizzy.

"I'm sorry, but I promise I only did it for your own good!" Snicket almost begged.

"Who were you going to give it to? My father?" Theodora asked, holding onto her side of the rope as if her life depended on it (it did).

"No." Snicket shook her head. "I just wanted to know."

"About what?"

"... your partner."

"I knew it. It _has_ to do with my father."

"He talked to me," Snicket confessed. "He has his worries, yes, but I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have mine as well!"

"Why can't any of you see she is such an amazing, brave and well-read woman?"

"I barely know her. And she is... she is quite weird."

"You are making a judgment based only on your first impressions. Just trust me!"

"First impressions can be right. And you know sometimes you can be a little..."

"Dumb?" Theodora asked as her friend trailed off. She knew that was what they thought, what they said behind her back. She wasn't as smart as Snicket, she didn't have quick thinking and she didn't do well in missions.

She knew they wouldn't keep her around if it wasn't for her father.

"Innocent," Snicket said. "You only see the best in everyone."

"I can't see the best in you right now." Theodora mumbled. "Let's finish this already."

Snicket took a step up, and Theodora followed, her arms and legs shaking. She wished they were still arguing. At least when they were arguing she didn't think of the height.

"What else did my father tell you?"

"He wants the best for you."

"He repeats it all the time. What else did he say?"

"He doesn't want your reputation ruined."

Theodora felt as if something pierced her heart. So he did know they were more than mission partners.

"Is my reputation his only worry?"

"He said she has always been a troublemaker, ever since-"

"That's a lie."

Snicket shut her mouth. Theodora needed her to keep talking.

"What do you think about my _reputation_?"

"It doesn't change anything for me," Snicket said in a sincere tone. "_If_ it's true, I mean. I wouldn't just assume..."

Theodora felt slightly amused at the way she seemed unsure of how to express herself. It was a rare sight.

"Then what is your worry?"

"Her eyes," Snicket said, serious. "They are so cold. Like she is dead inside."

"What, like someone stole her soul or something?" Theodora almost laughed.

"I am not talking about your fantasy porn fiction, Markson. I'm talking about something real."

"And I have no idea of what you mean."

They were looking eye to eye now. Snicket smiled in a way that looked a little sad.

"It's like when Q. came back from the countryside."

Theodora felt a shiver. Back when her oldest brother came back from his first big assignment, he didn't look the same. It wasn't his longer hair or the new freckles on his skin. It was like he wasn't the same person anymore. Like he had seen things.

"She is not like that," Theodora said. She had known her partner for almost a lifetime, and nothing gave her the same feeling.

Snicket was quiet for a moment, but Theodora didn't mind it this time. The thoughts of Q. and of her partner kept replaying on her head. She wanted to shout to herself that it was not the same.

"She volunteered for a interrogation this week," Snicket said. "I. commented that he never saw someone be so natural at it."

Theodora felt another shiver. But they were already at the window now, and once they went inside she wouldn't need to talk to Snicket to distract herself anymore.

They entered the office and Snicket passed a candle and a lighter to Theodora. Candles could have some inconveniences, but VFD's candles produced more light than any lantern, and if handled correctly were much more reliable than anything powered by batteries.

Theodora lit the candle, and her eyes fell on the engraving of an eye on the lighter.

"Anything suspicious?" Theodora asked, not bothering to look for herself. Snicket would find anything there was to be found much quicker than her.

"I will take some pictures for I." She took her camera from her bag. "I am not sure what we are looking for."

Theodora sighed, but there was a smile on her lips. Classic Snicket.

"Just tell me where you need light."

It would have been interesting to have a partner like Snicket. If they didn't kill each other first, as their personalities clashed in too many aspects. But maybe if it was Snicket, she wouldn't fight her family so often.

She shook her head. How silly, she was not fit for someone like Snicket. One day her friend would find a lad who could follow her quick thinking and her daring ideas. And Theodora, she worked well with her current partner, and she was happy this way.


End file.
